The Origination of Faye Whitechapel
by FluentInBullshit
Summary: Faye Adele Whitechapel, having two best friends (loving one more than the other), she is stuck in the middle of WW2. With love and loss being tangled into the mix, is there a possibility of happy endings? Follow Faye as she experiences choices that will either make her crumbling or possibly help herself and others around her. {I suck at small summaries}
1. Chapter 1

It was cold. Very cold. I guess that's what you have to expect for a cold, brisk winter afternoon but it was _cold_. I was walking down the streets with one of my best friends, Bucky, as he explained the girl he had hooked up with the night before while my heart seemed to crumple even more at the thought of my best friend/crush being with another woman.

But I played along, pretending to act interested and feign offence when he would joke about how woman were clingy or loud or idiotic even though I was already upset over him and another girl. It's what we did every night. I would act interested, let out a few laughs and then he would joke about women. Then, we would walk down, seeing Steve being pulled into an alley by a bunch of tough guys and we would be the heroes and best friends, beating them to a pulp and help Steve up while the idiots ran away like cowards.

It happened every Saturday.

"Faye? Are you even listening?" Bucky exclaimed and I snapped out of my thoughts.

"What? Yes. Of course I was." I looked at Bucky, feigning innocence.

"Then what did I say?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow, wearing a smirk.

"You were talking about another sultry woman that you tricked into bed like you do every Saturday." I took a sip of my black coffee, giving a pointed look at him.

"I am not that predictable!" He gasped, feigning offence.

"Seriously? You are the most predictable man on the face of the Earth." I rolled my eyes as he placed a hand to his heart.

"I am offended! See? This is my 'I am offended' face." He smirked, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.

"Actually, no. That is your sarcasm/acting face."

We kept bickering about until we saw Steve walk out of a coffee shop only to be dragged into an alleyway to be beaten up again. I looked towards Bucky to see him with the same expression.

"Let's go kick some ass." I muttered, shrugging his arm off and stomping towards the alleyway with Bucky following me.

We stopped to see Steve with a bleeding nose, attempting to stand up only to be thrown another punch. I could feel myself seething with anger at Steve's broken posture.

I walked up to one of the men, pulling him back and slamming his back into the wall with force that I could hear something break. I threw a punch to his face, breaking his nose and tripping him as his head smacked to the ground but I could hear him struggling, confirming that he wasn't dead. I could see Bucky knocking two of them out and I kneed the last in the balls as my victim fell to the ground, groaning in pain. He quickly got up, taking his friend and they all ran off and out of our view.

"Son of a bitch…" I pinch the bridge of my nose in frustration to see the cut that Bucky had on his arm.

"It's nothing, Faye. It'll heal." Bucky tried ignoring it.

"Bucky…" Steve warned him but Bucky ignored him, pushing himself off the wall casually.

I grabbed his arm, lightly squeezing. "Does that hurt?" I ask, already knowing the answer of clear pain on Bucky's features but he ignores it and shakes his head. Then I squeeze harder, Bucky kneeling, his face contorting into one of pain. "Does that hurt, liar?" I glare at him, as if daring him to say no but he nods, his hands clutching into fists. I stop squeezing, grabbing a small bandage from my bag and sitting him down on a barrel. "You should seriously know better than to try and lie to me, Bucky."

"I'm sorry." He sounded embarrassed to say it but I smiled softly, wrapping his arm up in the bandage and pinning it together with a safety pin.

Steve seemed to watch our every move, as if studying us, and smiled for some odd reason.

I placed the bandage away and Bucky, with his good hand, held a hand out for Steve and hoisted him up.

"I could have fought them." He mumbled, kicking a rock like a little pouty child when they've done something bad.

"And failed miserably? Yeah." I snapped, holding that normal motherly glare at Steve.

"Sorry, _mom._" He glared back. We continued our glaring match until I couldn't take it anymore, tired of our actions.

"I'm sorry, Steve. It just seems like this always happens, every Saturday. I just hate it."

"What do you mean?" Bucky asked, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Haven't you noticed it? Every Saturday, we're doing the same thing. We wake up, go to a meeting for the next shipment to the next training camp, we get lunch, get coffee, walk outside, you talk about the latest woman you tricked into your bed, we see Steve be dragged away to get beaten up and we save the day. Then we argue about where to go for dinner, and end up going to some sort of useless event afterwards where it talks of the war!" I exclaim, throwing my hands in the air. The boys look at me, rendered speechless. "I'm tired of it. For once, I want something to change so we're not talking about the same useless stuff for the rest of our lives." I sigh, running a hand through my straight dark blonde hair. "Don't you guys ever get tired of the same thing?"

"I'm leaving." Bucky admits, looking at the two of us guiltily.

"What?" Steve speaks up now, surprised at Bucky's sudden announcement.

"Three days from now. I didn't want to say anything because, honestly, I was worried you would both not talk to me if I told you 2 weeks before so I wanted to spend as much time with my two favourite people before announcing it." He looks down, ashamed. I frown, wrapping my arms around him in a hug.

"I can never be mad at you, Bucky." I place a kiss on his cheek. I step back as Steve gives him a small side-hug.

I can hear Bucky whisper something to Steve and they both look at me, Steve smiling proudly. I cock my head to the side in confusion.

"What? You know I hate when you two know something I don't." I cross my arms over my chest, glaring at the two men before me but Steve keeps smiling and Bucky smirks. "Ugh. God I hate you."

"Love you too." They both speak simultaneously. I let out a groan in frustration, pushing past the two and out of the alleyway.

"So… where for dinner?"

"Little Mae's." Steve blurts out while Bucky yells "Noranda's!"

"You two, I swear…" I mumble as the two laugh in realisation.

"I miss Mae. Heard she came back from Boston a couple days ago. You know I love her hotcakes." Steve pointed out to Bucky.

"But Noranda's has the best tea in the country. They even made it official. Noranda's won the 'Best Tea in the Country' medallion. Smart bastard, the food inspector was." Bucky smirked back.

Every. Single. Saturday.

We were all now at some big revealing for Howard Stark and things about the future. Just random useless stuff that we won't know about because we will probably be dead. Bucky had brought two ladies with him for him and Steve while I was looking around like a lost puppy, trying to avert my gaze from Bucky's obvious flirting with the blonde.

I could tell Steve felt out of place because the brunette he was with was hitting on Bucky as well, trying to spark his attention.

I could suddenly see a good friend of mine, Peggy Carter, my co-worker. She was being hit on by a tall, bulky ginger. I looked back at Bucky and Steve only to notice the two lads had dispersed into the crowd. I sigh and walked towards Peggy who had notice my presence from behind the men.

"So what do you say, a lovely dame like yourself come back to my place?" He asked. I looked towards Peggy for confirmation and she nodded. I grabbed hold of the man's wrist, twisted his arm behind his back and shoved him into the brick wall.

"Peggy, dear friend. Is this disgusting pervert bothering you?" I asked aloud as the man winced at the pressure my hand was putting on his most likely dislocated hand.

"Why yes. Yes he is. What do you think we should do with him? Take him to the police right now, leave him to rot or maybe have a little fun with him?" She taunted, kicking at his knee.

"Oh you know I love playing with my food." I heard him wince as I took hold of one of his arms. "How 'bout an old nice Harvey?" I asked, hinting at the flag pole. She smiled viciously, taking the other arm and we dragged him to the flag pole. In the next five minutes, it was complete. The ginger man was dangling in the air with the flag wrapped around his head.

"Lovely idea, Faye."

"Well obviously, Peg. It was my idea. My ideas are always best." I mocked, and we sauntered off.

"Oh, I have something to tell you."

"What's going on?" I asked.

"There was a bit of a mix-up with Colonel Phillips. We're leaving in five days. We won't be too long away from the city, just about 2 hours away." Peggy then launched into a story of how some idiotic intern had swapped the 17th with the 27th and we were appointed to leave in 5 days, not 15.

"You see, this is why I hate interns!" I cried out, throwing my hands up in exasperation. "They screw everything up."

"We both used to be interns."

"A: That was 3 years ago, B: Philips told us himself that we were the smartest and hard-headed, and C: We're awesome. I shrugged like it was a known fact and Peggy let out a hawtry laugh, brushing her hair out of her eyes.

"Well aren't you modest, Faye?" I heard the familiar Brooklyn accent of Bucky behind me. I turned to face him, cocking an eyebrow.

"What do you have to say for yourself James Buchanan Barnes?!" I exclaimed, snacking him over the head.

"What was that for?!" He asked, rubbing the back of his head in pin.

"For completely ditching me! You better be lucky your mother isn't here or I wouldn't mind having told her everything." I scolded as Peggy sauntered off.

"You wouldn't dare…" Bucky spoke, scared of facing his hard-headed, stubborn mother. Then I noticed Steve was absent.

"Yes I would, young man, and for the love of God, where the hell is Steve?" I cry out. Bucky turns around, as if expecting the small blonde to be right behind him but frowned in disappointment.

He started walking inside to see Steve talking with a doctor, his face scrunched up in thought. I followed Bucky to Steve and the doctor who I noticed was German.

"Steve? Where did you go?" Bucky asked, capturing his attention.

"I was just talking to…" He turned to the man but we noticed he had already disappeared off into the crowd.

"Who?" I asked this time but Steve shook it away, replying that it was nothing. "Well I have some news." I speak out. The two turn towards me. "I ran into a co-worker and she said that we're actually heading off in about five days for training the new enlistments."

"Why so soon?" Steve furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"Some lousy excuse of an intern swapped the 17th with the 27th. I'm heading for Queens in five days." I turn towards Steve, my head bowed down in disappointment. "I'm so sorry I'm leaving you alone Steve. I just found out about ten minutes ago."

Steve brushed it off, trying to convince us t was fine but I could see the definite pain in his eyes.

"I've got to go." Steve brushed past the crowd, leaving our sight.

"Do you think he'll be ok?" I asked as Bucky placed an arm around my shoulders.

"He's a tough kid. He'll do fine." He kissed the top of my head, leaving afterwards with the two women he brought and I walk back home, my heart breaking more at Bucky leaving with the two women, that smile that dazzled on his perfect pink lips.


	2. Chapter 2

Those last remaining five days came quicker than expected. I was on one smaller bus with Phillips, Peggy, a strangely familiar man named Erskine and Howard Stark while a little ways away was a bus with all of the new recruits headed to Camp Lehigh on the outskirts of Queens.

I didn't really bother looking through the list or recruits because after looking over three, I could tell they just wanted to impress the ladies and act all heroic.

We were just arriving at the camp and all of the rowdy boys ran out of the bus. Peggy and I decided to change into uniform as Phillips lined the boys up.

We came out after 10 minutes, seeing a line of twenty or so boys lined up horizontally.

"Recruits! Attention!" Peggy called out, capturing the attention of the enlisters. They turned towards us, all of them in accepted uniform with a bowler hat on. "Gentlemen, I am Agent Carter. This is Agent Whitechapel. We supervise all operations for this division."

A tall, bulky man by the name of Hodge spoke up. "What's with the accent, Queen Victoria?" He was definitely one of those careless, idiotic men who only came for the opportunity of hitting on women. "I thought I was signing up for the U.S Army."

"What's your name, soldier?" Peggy asked.

"Gilmore Hodge, Your Majesty." He replied, a smirk reaching his features. Peggy nodded towards me and I smirked.

"Step forward, Hodge." I command and Hodge smirks cockily towards the other soldiers and steps forward, stopping in front of me. "Put your right foot forward." He obeys.

"Hmm… We're gonna wrassle?" He asked. "Cause I got a few moves I know you'll like." He winked towards me. My anger was suddenly growing. I swing my fist at his cheek, him falling to the ground, groaning at the sudden force.

"Agent Carter! Whitechapel!" Phillips called us.

"Colonel Phillips." Peggy responded, the both of us turning towards him.

"I can see that you two are breaking the candidates. That's good!" He pats me on the shoulder and we face the recruits once again. "Get your ass up out of that dirt and stand in that line at attention until somebody comes tell you what to do." He commands Hodge and he scrambles to his feet, standing up.

"Yes sir."

"General Patton has said that wars are fought with weapons but won by men. We are going to win this war because we have the best men." Then he stops in front of someone that I know all too well…

Steve fucking Rodgers, that son of a bitch.

"And because they are going to get better." He adds afterwards, sneaking a glance at Erskine for a moment. "Much better."

Oh now that just seems a bit mean. I think to myself but stand straight next to Peggy.

"The Strategic Scientific Reserve is an Allied effort made up of the best minds in the free world.

"Our goal is to create the best army in history." Phillips continues as we watch the men climbing ropes and I see Steve struggle halfway through, get his leg caught and he is suddenly hanging upside down. "But every army starts with one man."

The others laugh as an officer calls out.

"Rogers! Get off of there!"

"At the end of this week, we will choose that man. He will be the first in a new breed of super-soldiers." Hodge suddenly kicks down one of the poles next to Steve and he gets trapped under the wire, grunting in pain.

Another officer calls out. "Rogers! Get that rifle out of the mud!"

"And they will personally escort Adolf Hitler to the gates of hell." Phillips continues. I looked over at Steve grimly, writing more info down on my clipboard.

We're now watching all of the soldiers running laps from the truck and they were just arriving at the halfway point with a random officer 'encouraging' them. As per usual, Steve was lagging behind.

"Let's go, let's go! Double time!" Peggy and I were making more notes on our clipboards, me sometimes getting distracted by the random officers 'encouraging' words. "Come on! Faster! Faster! Squad, halt!" He commanded all of them and they stopped at the flagpole. He pointed to the flag. "That flag means we're only at the halfway point. First man to bring it to me gets a ride back with Agents Carter and Whitechapel. Move! Move!"

Suddenly all of them sprinted towards the flagpole except for Steve who stayed back from the horde of sweaty, greedy 'men'.

"Nobody's got that flag in 17 years!" The officer added as they all stopped, giving up. "Now fall back into line! Fall in!" He ordered and they all faltered, getting back into single file line… except Steve. He ignored the officer, unscrewing a nut and pulling the lever out. The flagpole fell to the ground. He walked over, ripping the flag off and jumped into the back with us. I smiled, nudging his shoulder playfully and we drove off, leaving the other recruits stunned to silence.

"Faster, ladies! Come on!" Peggy was now teaching them and I was observing from afar with Erskine and Phillips. Stark was off at the lab creating the serum. "My grandmother has more life in her, God rest her soul." Again, Steve was struggling. "Move it!"

"You're not really thinking about Rogers, are you?" Phillips asked from next to me, his face was turned towards Erskine.

"I'm more than just thinking about it. He is the clear choice." Erskine replied, fixing up his glasses.

"When you brought a 90-pound asthmatic onto my army base, I let it slide. I thought, 'what the hell'. Maybe he'd be useful to you. Like a gerbil. I never thought you'd pick him." I silently glared at Phillips.

"That is my friend, Colonel." I retort and he turned his attention towards me.

"You're still here?" He asked. I toss my hands in the air, exasperated.

"Up!" Peggy commanded them.

"You stick a needle in that kid's arm, it's going to go right through him." Phillips turned back to Erskine.

"It's like I'm invisible." I mutter, running a hand through my hair.

"Come on, girls." Peggy ordered them as they started jumping jacks.

"Look at that." Phillips gestured to Steve as he was struggling _again_. "He's making he cry."

"I am looking for qualities beyond the physical." Erskine cut him off.

"Do you know how long it took to set up this project? All the grovelling I had to do in front of Senator what's-His-Name's committees?" He asked. I rolled my eyes.

_He didn't do the grovelling. I did._

"Brandt. Yes, I am well aware of your efforts."

"Then throw me a bone. Hodge passed every single test we gave him."

_Ugh. Hodge._

"Hodge ist ein Schwein Gesicht, das einen Abschluss in den Arsch küssen hat." I snap. I can tell Phillips had no idea what I just said but Erskine let out a howl of laughter. **(Translation: "Hodge is a pig face that has a degree in ass kissing.")**

"You, my girl, are a funny one. I know I will already enjoy your attention. Agent Whitechapel, correct?" He asked. I smile and nod and we briefly shake hands.

"Like I was saying, he's big, he's fast and he obeys orders." Phillips continued, ignoring Erskine's knee-slapping laughter. "He is a soldier."

Erskine, sobered down, straightening his posture and turning back to Phillips. "He is a bully."

"You don't win wars with niceness, Doctor. You win wars with guts." He grabbed a dummy grenade and tossed it to everyone else. "Grenade!"

They all start to scramble away but Steve jumps and lands on the grenade. "Get away!" Peggy starts to near him but he yells again. "Get back!"

I turn towards Phillips, his expression holding one of shock. "You were saying, Colonel?" I ask, feigning innocence but a smirk was playing on my lips.

Panting, Steve turned towards us. "Is this a test?" I nod and he breathed a sigh of relief.

"He's still skinny." Phillips said, walking away with Peggy. I roll my eyes.

A sudden thought dawned on me all of a sudden.

_I wonder what Bucky is doing…_

I stride into the bunks, seeing Steve reading a book and I take the book out of his hand.

"Steven Grant Rogers! Why did you not tell me you were enlisted?" I ask, plopping down next to him.

"Because I knew you would freak out…" He replied with a sheepish grin, looking down on the ground.

"I swear, it's like you like to sign your death certificate. Next thing you know, I'll be digging your grave for you." I shake my head, bringing the small blonde in for a hug. "I'm just scared for you."

"You don't have to be scared. Bucky wouldn't want you to be scared." He emphasised on the word 'Bucky'. I smile at the thought of Bucky. If he were here, he would probably pull a sly joke to lighten the mood. The front door of the bunk opens and we turned to see Erskine with three glasses and a 1918 single malt.

"Am I interrupting something?" He asked, looking at the two of us. I shake my head, standing to leave. "No. Stay. The more the merrier. It's a good thing I'm always prepared for more." He cheered, sitting across from us. I sit back down reluctantly. "Can't sleep?"

I shrugged, staying soundless. "Got the jitters, I guess." Steve replied and Erskine laughed, handing me a glass.

"Me too."

"Can I ask you a question?" Steve asked. Erskine nodded. "Why me?"

"I suppose that is the only question that matters." He held the bottle of wine up. "This is from Augsburg. My city. So many people forget that the first country the Nazis invaded was their own. You know, after the last war, my people struggled. They felt weak, they felt small. And then Hitler comes along with the marching and the big show and flags. A-And he hears me. My work. And he finds me. And he say, 'You'. He says 'You will make us strong'. Well, I am not interested. So, he sends the head of HYDRA, his research division. A brilliant scientist by the name of Johann Schmidt. Now Schmidt is a member of the inner circle. And he is ambitious. He and Hitler shared a passion for occult power and Teutonic myth. Hitler uses his fantasies to inspire his followers. But for Schmidt, it is not fantasy. For him, it is real. He has become convinced that there is a great power hidden in the Earth, left here by the Gods, waiting to be seized by a superior man. So when he hears about my formula and what it can do, he cannot resist. Schmidt must become that superior man."

"Did it make him stronger?" Steve spoke up.

"Yes. But there were other effects. The serum was not ready. But more important, the man. The serum amplifies everything that is inside, so good becomes great. Bad becomes worse. This is why you were chosen. Because a strong man who has known power all his life may lose respect for that power, but a weak man knows the value of strength. And knows compassion." He ends his story there, making me ponder in thought.

"Thanks. I guess…" Steve adds. Erskine smiles, gesturing for the glasses and Steve passed them over.

As Erskine starts to fill the glasses, he starts speaking again. "Whatever happens tomorrow, you must promise me one thing. That you will stay who you are. Not a perfect soldier, but a good man." He stopped, pointing at Steve's chest at the last three words.

Steve pondered for a moment, then spoke. "To the little guys." He raised his glass, about to drink but Erskine pulled it out of his grasp.

"No. No. No! Wait, wait. What am I doing? You have procedure tomorrow. No fluids." He took the glass out of Steve's hands.

"Alright. We'll drink it after." Steve says but Erskine cut him off.

"No, I don't have procedure tomorrow. Neither does Whitechapel. Drink it after? We drink now." He clinked glasses with me. I downed mine quickly, taking the glass out of Steve's hands and down that one too.

I see Steve smile and I stand up, taking one more glass of wine and nodded towards the two men in acknowledgement.

"I will be taking my leave now. Be seeing you tomorrow for the big procedure." I smiled, heading out until Steve's voice halts me in my tracks.

"Bucky would miss you too." He says. I look towards him, a small smile playing on my lips.

"He better." I mock salute, heading out of the door and walking towards the main quarters where Peggy and I shared a room. I soon drifted to sleep in my queen-sized bed, thinking about Bucky. Just Bucky.


	3. Chapter 3

We were now back in Brooklyn. I was in the front seat of a car with the driver and Steve and Peggy sat at the back. We drove past a group of boys playing cricket and I smiled as one of them cheered when they successfully hit the ball down the street.

I smiled at them, hoping that one day, I could have a child of my own.

"I know this neighbourhood. I got beat up in that alley." Steve spoke up, pointing to a random alleyway. "And that parking lot. And behind that diner…"

"Did you have something against running away?" Peggy asked suddenly, keeping her eyes to the front of the road. Steve began shaking her head suddenly.

"You start running, they'll never let you stop. You stand up, you push back. They can't say no forever, right?"

"I know a little of what that's like, to have every door shut in your face." Peggy replied.

"I guess I just don't know why you would join the Army if you were a beautiful dame. Or a-a woman. An agent. Not a dame. You are beautiful but…" Steve suddenly said. I seemed to silently gape at his words.

_Steven Grant Rogers is flirting with a woman. He's failing horribly but he's still doing it!_

If Bucky were here, he would laugh and pat Steve on the back, probably congratulating him and saying how proud he is.

"You have no idea how to talk to a woman, do you?" Peggy asked, looking at him incredulously.

"I think this is the longest conversation I've had with one. Well aside from Faye but I could NEVER see her in any other way aside from a close friend." He says truthfully.

"Guilty." I smiled from the rear-view mirror.

"Women aren't exactly lining up to dance with a guy they might step on." Steve continues, looking down as if ashamed.

"You must have danced." Peggy turned towards Steve.

"Well asking a woman to dance always seemed so terrifying. And the past few years, it just didn't seem to matter that much. Figured I'd wait."

_He is so flirting…_

"For what?"

"The right partner."

_Is he trying to ask her out?_

I leaned back in my seat, a smile playing on my lips.

We finally parked outside an old antique shop, people mingling by the streets. We all stepped out, walking in and towards the elderly woman at the desk. "Wonderful weather this morning, isn't it?" I remember the code that Phillips had drilled into my mind a dozen times.

"Yes, but I always carry an umbrella." I reply, smiling. The woman pressed a button, revealing a buzzing sound and we go to the back room, Steve following behind, amazed by everything.

A large bookshelf suddenly moved right automatically, revealing a hallway with people looking our way as we stride down with confidence, our faces holding no emotion and Steve looked out of place in his small, private uniform. Two people at the end of the hall open the doors for us revealing the large lab in which Steve would have the procedure. Everyone stopped talking, looking towards Steve with curious glances.

Steve shared a look with Peggy and they walked downstairs, me following a little behind. We stopped at Erskine and he took Steve's hand.

"Good morning." He spoke first.

"Guten Morgen, Sie auch. Nervös?" I asked. **(Translation: "Good morning to you too. Nervous?")**

"Sie haben keine Ahnung." He replied. I nodded my head in understanding. **(Translation: "You have no idea.")** "Are you ready?" He asked, facing Steve now. Steve slowly nods. "Good. Take off your shirt, your tie and your hat."

I walk upstairs to the observation deck where I see Senator Brandt.

"Senator Brandt. Glad you could make it." Phillips speaks up.

"Why exactly am I in Brooklyn?" He snaps and Phillips looks offended at first but shook it away.

"We needed access to the city's power grid. Of course, if you had given me the generators I requisitioned…" He's cut off.

"A lot of people are asking for funds, Colonel." He then pulls someone over. "Oh this is…"

"Fred Clemson, State Department. If this project of yours comes through, we'd like to see it used for something other than headlines." He speaks up, holding his hand out for a handshake. Phillips takes it begrudgingly and then pulls me over.

"This is one of my top agents. Agent Faye Whitechapel. Faye, I assume you know their name because of your eavesdropping into our conversation." He speaks. I blush, a bit embarrassed.

"Hello. Lovely to meet the two of you." I shake hands with them but the Senator, instead brings my hands to his lips, placing a small kiss. I cock and eyebrow.

"What is a beautiful woman like you doing working for the Army?"

"I suck at cooking and I like this job." I add in and the senator lets out a small laugh.

"This one has fire. I see why you chose her Colonel." Then he turns towards Steve who is just laying down on the lounge chair. "Jeez. Somebody get that kid a sandwich." I peak my head over the door, looking down at Erskine who calls for Stark's name.

"Mr Stark? Levels?"

"Level's at 100%." He responds.

"Good."

"We may dim half the lights in Brooklyn, but we are ready as we'll ever be." Erskine then excuses Peggy to the observation deck but I don't miss the obvious look that Steve and her share. I smile at the thought of Steve living through this, ending up happy with Peggy.

Erskine then grabs for the microphone, tapping it a couple times to check it was working as Peggy and I seat ourselves down at the front row.

"Ladies and gentlemen, today we take not another step towards annihilation, but the first step on the path to peace. We begin with a series of microinjections into the subject's major muscle groups. The serum infusion will cause immediate cellular change. And then, to stimulate growth, the subject will be saturated with Vita-Rays." He stops talking for a moment to share a few words with Steve. "Serum infusion beginning in five, four, three, two, one." Something happened and Steve grunted and his eyes shot open, awake. Then Stark's name was called and he pulled a lever down, lifting the capsule and the doors closed. Two lab assistants placed in two large cords, beginning the serum. Stark turned a knob, a humming level starting. He then proceeded to a wheel, putting on sunglasses and so did everyone else in the lab.

"That's 10%." Stark started, slowly turning the wheel as the Vita-Rays began performing as the capsule started to brighten. "Twenty percent. Thirty." It started shinning more and more. "That's 40%." A lab assistant pointed out that the vital signs were normal. "That's 50%. Sixty. Seventy." Then Steve started screaming from somewhere in the capsule.

Erskine screamed Steve's name, running on the stepping stool as Peggy suddenly got up from her seat. "Shut it down!" Peggy cried, running to the railing. "Shut it down!" She cried again and Erskine ordered Stark to shut it down but then we heard Steve yell.

"No! I can do this!" He yelled. I was now joining Peggy at the railing, comforting her before she decided to stomp down there and drag Steve out of the capsule one-handedly.

Stark ran hack to the wheel, proceeding to turning it. "Eighty. Ninety. That's 100%!" He exclaimed, his knuckles turning white.

The electricity hummed and the brightness could have been mistaken for the sun. Then electricity cracked and snapped from the control panel Stark was at. Sparks were jumping from every control panel now and I placed a comforting hand on Peggy's shoulder.

Then it all stopped.

All of the sparks halted, the capsule shutting off. Everyone from the observation deck stood up to get a good look, Stark slowly removing his sunglasses.

"Mr Stark?" Erskine yelled and Stark ran back to the lever, taking hold of it and opening it.

There, breathing heavily, was no skinny Brooklyn victim. Instead, there was a tanned, muscular man with the same blonde hair as Steve and those same brown eyes.

_This was the new and improved Steve._

"Erskine helped him out of the capsule as I could see all of the men from the observation deck walk out and chat about surprised.

"I did it." Steve breathed out heavily, leaning on Erskine and Stark.

"Yeah. Yeah, I think we did it." Erskine smiled, nodding with a smile on his features.

"You really did it." Stark added, much more shocked than the rest.

"Did you doubt him?" I asked Stark, patting him on the back.

"No. Of course not! Just surprised is all." He breathed out.

Peggy spoke next. "How do you feel?"

"Taller." He replied. I snorted but Peggy sent me a look. I threw my hands up in surrender in a joking way.

"You look taller." She smiled, taking a cloth from a nurse.

I could hear Phillips say, "How do you like Brooklyn now, Senator?"

"I can think of some folks in Berlin who are about to get very nervous." He adds even after Phillips walked away from him.

Then it happens. The observation deck explodes, sending glass all over the place. I scream, kneeling down to cover myself. I feel myself be pulled into someone's arms and a gun is pressed to my neck. I squeal and everyone looks at my frightened expression.

He drags me to the last bottled serum and I try my best to kick and thrash but he had a strong hold, he then grabs the bottle, tossing me to the ground and shooting Erskine in the chest.

"NO!" I scream, running towards him as he is about to get away. Steve kneels down next to me but Peggy runs off after the man. Erskine raised a finger and pointed Steve on his chest and to the direction of the fleeing man.

Then he's dead.

The man that I had looked up to as a father figure was dead before my very own eyes. Steve turns towards me, nods and runs off while I cry my eyes out, kneeling at the fallen form of Erskine.

"No…" I whisper. "Why does everyone always leave me?" I cry out but Stark grabbed a hold of me, lifting me from the doctors crumpled body. "Why?" I whimper as Stark placed an arm around my fallen form and hugs me tightly like my brother, Peter, used to do. I cling onto him like he's the last fibre of my body and he whispers soothing words to me like I've known him my whole like.

Stark was the one to bring me outside to the car where he waited with me for Steve to come back. Peggy joined us, taking me in for a hug and the three of us waited for Steve to come back.

Steve finally did. He hugged me first, seeing my obvious swarm of tears.

"Is he dead?" I asked.

"Yes. But it's just the start."

We were now in a facility in Northern Brooklyn where Howard and a whole team of scientists were taking apart and studying the submarine. Steve stood upstairs taking a blood sample. Peggy was upstairs with him.

"Colonel Phillips. My committee is demanding answers." Senator Brandt spoke again. I was really hating his voice now.

"Great. Why don't we start with how a German spy got a ride to my secret installation in your car?" He asked. He seemed fed up with Brandt as much as I was. "What have we got here?" He asked Howard.

"Speaking modesty, I'm the best engineer in this country." He points out first.

_Uh. Oh. Bad news…_

"But I don't know what's inside this thing or how it works. We're not even close to this technology." He adds afterwards.

_Shit._

"Then who is?" Brandt asked.

"HYDRA." Phillips points out next. "I'm sure you've been reading our briefings."

"I'm on a number of committees, Colonel." Jesus Christ. Phillips would do a better Senator than this guy. He could launch through every meeting, every briefing and every event and still have time for a good old fashioned cup of tea afterwards.

At that very moment, Peggy came downstairs with Steve. "HYDRA is the Nazi deep-science division."

"It's led by Johann Schmidt but he has much bigger ambitions. Ambitions so big, I wouldn't be surprised if he were to completely ditch Hitler and start his own army." I add in, nodding in acknowledgment at her.

"HYDRA is practically a cult." Phillips points out. "They worship Schmidt. Think he's invisible."

"So what are you going to do about it?" Brandt asked.

_One more word from him and I'll want to toss up._

"I spoke to the President this morning. As of today, the SSR is being retasked."

"Colonel?" Peggy asked.

"We are taking the fight to HYDRA. Pack your bags, Agent Carter, Whitechapel." Phillips confirms our suspicions. "You too, Stark. We're flying to London tonight."

Then Steve cuts it. "Sir? If you're going after Schmidt, I want in."

"You're an experiment. You're going to Alamogordo." Phillips says, pushing past us only for Steve to take hold of his arm.

"The serum worked."

"I asked for an army and all I got was you. You are not enough."

_Ooh. Harsh…_

Then Brandt speaks up. "With all due respect to the Colonel, I think we may be missing the point. I've seen you in action, Steve. More importantly, the country's seen it. Paper." He told his assistant and he gave him this morning's newspaper. "The enlistment lines have been around the block since your picture hit the newsstand. You don't take a soldier, a symbol like that and hide him in a lab. Son, do you want to serve your country on the most important battle field of the war?"

"Sir, that's all I want." Steve replied with no hesitation.

"Then congratulations, you just got promoted." Brandt shakes his hand and leads him off.

_Is it bad that I have a bad feeling about this?_


	4. Chapter 4

I was right when I was worried of the proposition that Senator Brandt gave Steve because a week afterwards, he was under the light performing shows to encourage people to buy bonds. He was definitely a hit with the children as he was a comical hero to them.

Six weeks later, Peggy and I left to visit him in Italy. Well we weren't actually supposed to leave but Howard had convinced Phillips.

I planned that I would say hi to Steve later because it was obvious the feelings those two had for one another.

It reminded me of Bucky and it hurt.

_What was Bucky doing right now? Was he resting in early? Talking to friends? Hitting the local town, on the hunt for oblivious women?_

_Would he ever love me?_

I heard all of the men cheering on for the girls. I was sick of it because I was trying to read A Tale of Two Cities so I decided to take charge and do something about it. I sauntered onstage, taking the microphone from the show ladies and kicked them off of the stage. Most of the men made cat-calls, others whistled and some were trying to hit on me.

"SHUT IT!" I yelled and they all clung to their ears as my shout echoed throughout the crowd. "Do any of you have an ounce of respect?!" I yelled again, tossing my hands up in the air in exasperation.

"Why don't you give me an ounce of respect by taking me back stage?! One on the front row called out.

"What is your name soldier?" I asked.

"Private Ian Griffiths, at your service, beautiful." He called out again. I beckoned him to the stage as the others cheered him on.

_Insolent little bastards._

"Come here, Private Griffiths. I want to show you something."

"And what's that, sweet cheeks?" He asked standing in front of me.

"My fist." Then I landed a punch at his left eye, kneeing him in his precious treasures. "This is a warzone! Not a strip club, you insolent bastards!" I turned towards the huge crowd, ignoring the groan of pains coming from Ian. Now I want you to raise your hand truthfully if you joined the Army just so you could impress ladies. And if you are NOT truthful, you will end up worse than your buddy here!"

Three quarters of the crowd raised their hands.

"Well I will tell you know. I am most definitely not impressed! This is a war! You enlisted for a reason and, to be honest, all of you are acting like a complete sack of rowdy teenagers that are first discovering what hormones are and taking control of it! Women don't look for a guy who hits on them every single day of their lives. They search for kind heroes who love kids and aren't afraid to wait for as long as they will for their first night of passion and romance. They search for a man who will not be afraid to say 'I'm scared' or 'I'm not okay'. They search for men who aren't afraid to be shy or upset. They most certainly do not search for a man who is controlling, over-confident and grabby. When I enlisted in the war, it was because I wanted to do a good for the world! I wanted to see my mother finally smile at me and say, 'I'm proud of you'. I wanted to help stop this disgusting war and bring peace back to the seven continents around the world and see people smile and laugh again! If you are not here for that reason then you may as well leave because your over-confident, controlling ways will not be needed here!" I tossed the microphone to the ground kicking at Ian once more and leaving the stunned and silenced crowd.

I look over at the Corporeal and sneer at him.

"That is how you run a damn camp." I glare at him and stalked off to see Steve and Peggy backstage talking. I don't interrupt them and instead, be the best friend ever and eavesdrop.

Steve is looking over at an ambulance truck, seeing someone being carried out.

"They look like they've been through hell." He speaks first.

"These men more than most." She adds. "Schmidt sent out a force to Azzano. Two hundred men went up against him and less than 50 returned. Your audience contained what was left of the 107th. The rest were killed or captured."

_Bucky…_

I sprung from my hiding spot. "The 107th?" Steve and I asked, looking at each other for a brief moment.

I ran towards Phillips with Steve and Peggy. "Colonel Phillips!" I sauntered over towards him.

"Well if it isn't the Star-Spangled Man With A Plan. What is your plan today?" Phillips smirked.

"Wipe that smirk off your face Phillips. I need the casualty list from Azzano." I command.

"You don't get to give me orders, Faye."

"Steve and I just need one name. Sergeant James Barnes of the 107th."

Phillips turned towards Peggy and me, pointing his pen at us. "You two and I are going to have a conversation later that you won't enjoy."

Steve is the one to speak now. "Please tell us if he is alive, sir. B-A-R-"

"I can spell, son." He looked at the two of us then stood up, looking through the file in his hand. "I have signed more of these condolence letters today then I would care to count. But… The name does sound familiar. I'm sorry." He looked towards Steve and I. I was crushed. The man I loved was most likely dead.

_Gone. There was a chance he was still alive and breathing but we can't tell for sure._

Tears brimmed my eyes. "What- what about the others?"

"Excuse me?"

"Are you planning a rescue mission?" Steve asked, adding into my conversation.

"Yeah, it's called 'winning a war'." Phillips replied.

"But… Sir, if you know where they are, why not at least-"

"They're 30 miles behind the lines through some of the most heavily fortified territory in Europe." Phillips interjected, pointing to the map of Europe. "We'd lose more men than we'd save. But I wouldn't expect you to understand that because you're a chorus girl."

"I think I understand that just fine."

"Then go understand it somewhere else, Rogers, Whitechapel." He nodded us away. We were just leaving when I couldn't take it anymore. I marched back to him, slamming a fist on his table.

"I swear on my father and Erskine's grave, Colonel Phillips, if you are the reason that the only man I will EVER loves, dies, you will find yourself on the doorsteps the Devil himself!" I yelled, outraged, as tears ran down my cheek. I bit the inner of my cheek and walk away, everyone watching me go in complete silence. Steve watched me, surprised. Before I can walk passed him, he grabbed ahold of my arm.

"The day we found out he was leaving, he whispered to me to protect with the every last blood cell in my body because he admitted to loving you and couldn't stand to see you with another man." He told me. I halted in my step, turning towards Steve with my face probably a mess.

"He said that?" I asked. Steve just nodded, leaving me on my own to think.

James Buchannan Barnes was in love with me. He was truly in love with me. The man that, when we were kids, would call me beautiful after our school bully would pull at my pigtails or call me names. The man that, when I was going to a wedding, came with me because he knew how much I hated being alone. The man that, when I admitted to my father's death, we had run off to the nearest restaurant and spent all of our money on desserts. The man that, when knowing I was upset, he gave me that look. That looked that confirmed my feelings for him even more and made me smile to an extent where it hurt to laugh because he made me just that much loved.

I walked over to Steve and Peggy who were talking at a truck. Steve had on a leather brown jacket and a bag of clothing.

"Then you gotta let me go." I heard Steve say. He sat in the driver's seat.

"I can do more than that." Was Peggy's reply.

Guess what? I'm on a plane.

A Stark Industries plane to be exact.

I was sat next to Steve who was strapping on a parachute.

"The HYDRA camp is in Krausberg, tucked between these two mountain ranges. It's a factory of some kind." Peggy explained, holding a small well-detailed map.

"We should be able to drop you right on the doorstep." Howard called from the front seat of the plane.

"Just get me as close as you can." Steve replied, strapping on the helmet. "You know, you three are gonna be in a lot of trouble when you land."

"And you won't?" Peggy replied.

"Where I'm going, if anybody yells at me, I can just shoot them."

"Lucky you." That was my comment.

"They will undoubtedly shoot back."

"Well let's hope it's good for something." Steve knocks at the metallic helmet.

"Agent Carter?" Howard called. "If we're not in too much of a hurry, I thought we could stop off in Lucerne for a late-night fondue."

"Just leave it to you, Howard, to make things awkward you cheeky bastard." I call out at him.

"Stark is the best civilian pilot I've ever seen." Peggy explained to Steve as he wears a wary glance. "He's mad enough to brave this airspace. We're lucky to have him."

"So are you two… Do you… Fondue?" Steve asked, referring to Peggy and Howard.

Peggy ignores. "This is your transponder. Activate it when you're ready and the signal will lead us straight to you."

"Are you sure this thing works?" Steve calls to Howard.

"It tested more than you, pal." The dark-haired man said and Steve gives a reluctant nod.

Then gunfire blasts against the metal and I shriek, moving my seat to next to Peggy.

Steve reached for the back door, pulling it open.

"Get back here! We're taking you all the way in!" Peggy yells over the gunfire but he didn't listen.

"As soon as I'm clear, you'll turn this thing around and get outta here!" Steve ordered.

"You can't give me orders!" Peggy yelled.

"The hell I can't! I'm a Captain!"

"Steven Grant Rogers, if you don't get Bucky back for me, I will hunt you down and give you the slowest death possible! Do you understand?!" I scream at him. He shivers and nods. Then he's out and we're headed home.

"Mr Brandt. I regret to inform you that Steven G. Rogers when missing behind enemy lines on the third. Aerial reconnaissance has proven unfruitful. As a result, I must declare Captain Rogers killed in action. Period." Phillips finished. Tossing the paper aside. I, on the other hand, was silently crying at the thought of Steve and Bucky. The last two important men that were there at every moment of my life to now be declared dead. It terrified me to an extinct. I saw as Peggy stopped at the entrance, looking at Phillips in shock.

It had been three days since Steve disappeared to save Bucky. Now, a brotherly figure of mine and the love of my life were both supposedly dead.

Peggy walked forward with two pictures in her hand. "The last surveillance flight is back." She placed the pictures down. "No sign of activity."

"Go get a cup of coffee, Corporal." Phillips commanded Corporal Hough. He walked off. "I can't touch Stark. He's rich and he's the Army's #1 weapons contractor. You two are neither one!" He pointed at the two of us. I regretfully stood up, standing next to Peggy.

"With respect, sir, I don't regret my actions and I barely believe that Faye, here, does either." Peggy pointed out.

"Steve wouldn't have regretted it either." I add, wiping more oncoming tears.

"What makes you think I give a damn about your opinions?" He glared at us. "I took a chance with you, Agents. And now America's golden boy and a lot of other good men are dead because you two had a crush."

"It was love." I gritted at him, glaring back with the same malice and force.

"And what I had with Rogers wasn't a crush. It was faith." Peggy added.

"Well I hope that's a big comfort to you when they shut this division down." I was interrupted, thought, by all of the men outside the tent rushing over towards something. Phillips walked out, followed by Peggy and then me. I had my eyes down on the ground, though, and the tears wouldn't stop. Everyone gave out a shock of disbelief. Peggy nudged me, knowingly and I glared at her.

"Look up, darling." She whispered, a smile dazed on her features.

I looked up, expecting the worst but I saw a group. A group of worn out, tired men being led by Steve. And, right on his left was _him_.

_James Buchannan Barnes. The love of my life._

I smiled. He was looking right at me and the biggest, stupidest grin was playing on his lips. Steve gestured for him to go and he did just that. He dropped his gun and ran forward, lifting me up and twirling me around like a boy would in a cheesy romantic moment. He finally placed me down, his eyes smouldering into mine. He was just leaning in when I smacked him over the head.

"James Buchannan Barnes! Do you know how sick and worried I was?!"

"Well I would guess-" I gave him a stern glare, interrupting him once more.

"You were gone for three days. Three days! I was crying so much, I'm pretty sure I created a whole new ocean! I swear, if you ever do anything like that to me again, I will not hesitate to bringing you on your knees to the gates of Hell!" I scold, out of breath. Bucky puts on his usual smirk, as if used to this kind of thing.

"You done now?" He asked, snaking an arm around my waist, his other hand brushing away a lose strand of hair.

"Yes." I breathed out a sigh.

"Good." I was about to say something else but I was cut off. Not really by his words but more by his lips.

_James Buchannan Barnes, the man I was 100% positive I was hopelessly in love with, was kissing me_.

It was all kinds of perfection and the kiss just light up a new feeling in me. I didn't know what it was but I _loved_ it.

His lips tasted of cinnamon and late night coffee, the stubble on his jaw that tickled my chin making the kiss ten times better. We pulled away a minute later, both out of breath with stupid grins on our faces.

"I hate that I can't stay mad at you forever all because I love you." I was the first to speak running a hand along his handsome features.

"Well then it's a good thing that I love you too." He replied, placing one longer, lingering kiss on my lips. He pulled away for a moment only to holler out, "Let's hear it for Captain America!" followed by all of the men cheering and congratulating Steve.

I was happy to say that I was officially Bucky's. It felt perfect to finally say it. I was happy.


	5. Chapter 5

We were moved to Upper East Side Manhattan where we had an underground control room. I was standing alongside Steve who was pointing out the different HYDRA bases he saw on a map.

"The fifth one was here in Poland, right near the Baltic. And the sixth one… about here, 30, 40 miles west of the Maginot Line. I just got a quick look." Steve pointed out the last two HYDRA facilities and a Private took it for confirmation.

"Well nobody's perfect." Peggy rolled her eyes. I smiled at the two little bickering. I followed Steve to another larger map pointing out the weapons facilities.

"These are the weapon factories we know about. Sergeant Barnes said that HYDRA shipped all the parts to another facility that isn't on this map." Steve continued, now being joined by Phillips.

"Agent Carter, coordinate with MI6. I want every Allied eyeball looking for that main hydra base." Phillips commanded and Peggy took off.

"What about us?" I asked.

"We are gonna set a fire under Johann Schmidt's ass. What do you say, Rogers? It's your map. You think you can wipe HYDRA off it?" Phillips asked Steve.

"Yes, sir. I'll need a team."

"We're already putting together the best men." Phillips nodded but Steve shook his head.

"With all due respect, sir, so am I."

Once Steve and I had arrived at an Irish pub a little ways down the rope, I had immediately disappeared, finding Bucky playing darts with a glass of scotch in one hand and a dart in his other. He threw the dart and it hit the third ring.

Bucky turned his direction towards me and placed a kiss on my nose to which I smiled at. I took a dart, aimed it and threw it perfectly into the bullseye. I smirked at Bucky's astounded expression and placed a long lingering kiss on his lips.

Bucky then placed a small pack on my cheek, turning towards Steve who was easily persuading a group of men to join his team. The drunken idiots easily said yes, asking for an open tab and Steve obliged, buying them another round.

Steve walked over towards us, Bucky being the first to speak. "See? I told you. They're all idiots." He spoke, taking a sip of his scotch.

"How about you? You ready to follow Captain America into the jaws of death?" Steve asked Bucky, looking at Bucky expectantly.

"Hell no." Bucky replied. I cocked my head into confusion. "That little guy from Brooklyn who was too dumb not to run away from a fight. I'm following him. But you're keeping the outfit, right?"

"There he is." I added, placing a kiss on Bucky's cheek.

"Damn. I don't know whether to be happy or left out." Steve said jokingly.

"Aww. If you wanted a kiss, you could have just asked. But it's too late. I'm reserved." I joke playfully.

We could hear everyone quiet down suddenly only to see Peggy in a red dress like she's on a date.

"Captain." She spoke

"Agent Carter." He replied.

_Jesus Christ, just kiss already._

"Ma'am." Bucky added. I whacked him over the head with my purse, sitting him back down.

"Howard has some equipment for you to try. Tomorrow morning?" She asked.

"Sounds good." Steve replied.

"I see your top squad is prepping for duty." Peggy added, looking over at the drunken slobs at the other side of the bar.

"You don't like music?" Bucky asked.

"I do, actually." Peggy replied, her eyes only staying on Steve.

"I might even, when this is all over, go dancing."

_If only I had two voodoo dolls and force them to kiss, they would stop undressing each other with their eyes._

"Then what are you waiting for?" Bucky asked.

"The right partner." Peggy's eyes were still on Steve's.

"0800, Captain. Goodbye, Faye." Peggy nods her head in acknowledgment at Bucky and I.

"I'm invisible. I'm turning into you. It's like a horrible dream." Bucky stuttered.

"Don't take it so hard. Besides, you have Faye."

"Yes. You have me." I took Bucky's hands into mine. "Now that I think about it, I really want to go dancing." He followed me obligingly.

"God, I love you." He sighed, placing a kiss on my lips once more.

It was the next day when I had awoken in Bucky's arms, his hair sticking out everywhere. His arms were wrapped tightly around my waist, he was twitching in his sleep nervously.

"Stop. No…" He mumbled, his arms just loosening enough for me to sit up straight, caressing his sleeping form. "No. Not Faye. Don't kill her." I cocked my head to the side in confusion, took his face into my hands and brought my lips to his. He was frozen for a moment until his lips responded, confirming he was awake now. "God if I could wake up to that every day." He mumbled in a husky morning voice that I was loving, slowly opening his eyes.

"Were you having a nightmare?" I asked, running my hands through his messy brunette hair. He just nodded. "If you want, you can tell me about it." I added, placing a small kiss on his jaw. He nodded.

"Not today. Not now. I just want to be with you." He pulled me closer, tightening his hold on my waist so I was practically on top of him.

"I have another hour before I have to get ready for work. I smile knowingly at Bucky and he smirked, turning us over and started to place long lingering kisses down my neck.

And… well we dot dot dot.

I finally did arrive to work just a minute late and I was going to walk into Howard's lab until I stopped, hearing Steve's voice and another women.

And yes, I eavesdropped.

"I read about what you did." I think Agent Swan said, motioning to a newspaper in her hands. It was the newspaper article about the almost 400 men being rescued by Steve, one of them being my Bucky.

"Oh, the… Yeah." Steve shrugged. "Well, that's, you know. Just doing what needed to be done."

"Sounded more like that. You saved nearly 400 men." Swan replied. There was a bit of silence for a moment. But then, Steve opened his damn mouth.

"Really, it's not a big deal." He pointed out.

Swan started to stand, her stiletto's clacking forward towards Steve. "Tell that to their wives."

Steve crossed his arms over his chest, looking around nervously "Uh, I don't think they were all married."

"You're a hero."

_Oh no… I always knew Swan was a bitch._

"Well that depends on the definition, really." Steve stuttered but Swan grabbed ahold of his tie.

"The women of America, they owe you their thanks." Swan cut in, playing with Steve's tie. "And, seeing as they're not here…" Then they kissed. Peggy smiled at me but I sent her a look of sympathy.

'What?' was what she mothed at me and I gestured to Swan and Steve who were in a lip-lock. She put her hands on her hips.

"Captain!" Peggy called, breaking the blondes kiss and the two stepped back from each other. "We're ready for you if you're otherwise not occupied." She started to stalk off and I followed next to her. Steve rushed over to us.

"Agent Carter, wait." Steve called, trying to keep up with us.

"Looks like finding a partner wasn't that hard after all." She spoke, not bothering to look at Steve.

"Peggy, that's not what you thought it was." He stuttered, placing his tie back into his shirt.

"I didn't think anything, Captain, not one thing." Peggy cut him off. "You always wanted to be a soldier. Now you are, just like all the rest."

"Well what about you and Stark?" He called out, halting in his tracks. "How do I know you two haven't been fondue-ing?"

_Oh my god. He thinks that fondue is the same as sex._

"You still don't know a bloody thing about woman." Peggy said, and we both sauntered off to the weapons facility.

I walked over to Steve and Howard who were looking at shields when a silver circular shield caught his eye on the bottom on the stacks. He slowly took it out.

"What about this one?"

"No, that's just a prototype." Howard spoke but Steve still held it up.

"What's it made of?" Steve asked.

"Vibranium." Howard replied as Steve twirled it in his hands. "It's stronger than steel and a third the weight. It's completely vibration absorbent."

Steve strapped it onto his arm. "How come it's not standard issue?"

"That's the rarest metal on Earth. What you're holding there, that's all we got." Howard replied just as Peggy showed up.

"You quite finished, Mr Stark?" Peggy asked from next to the weapons table. "I'm sure the Captain has some unfinished business." She added as I moved next to her.

"What do you think?" Steve asked, holding the shield up. Peggy and I both grabbed a pistol and we shot at it as 8 shells fell to the ground at Steve's feet. The metal reverberated in Steve's hold as he peeked his head over the shield.

It was total and complete silence. Even Howard was hiding himself.

"Yes. I think it works." Peggy replied. We placed the pistols down and shoved passed Steve, high-fiving each other was we walked out of the room.

**Bucky's POV (Didn't see that coming, did you suckers?!)**

"Then they both shot at it!" Steve exclaimed from next to me at the bar. I wasn't really focusing because I was staring at the velvet box in my hand. "Christ, Bucky, are you even focusing?"

"Of course I am. Unlike you, I can hear you and look at something else at the same time." I retorted, looking back down at the box.

"What's in the damn box anyway, Buck? You're obviously distracted by something." Steve asked, trying to take hold of the box but I kept it firmly in my grasp.

"Something blue." I smiled knowingly, signalling the bartender for another beer.

"I don't get it…" Steve said after pondering in thought.

"That's just the problem, my dear friend." I smirked, patting him on the back, taking a swig of the new beer bottle placed in front of me. Dernier suddenly walks over with Jones.

"Répétez que." Dernier orders. **(Translation: "Repeat that.")**

"Repeat that." Jones translates.

"What? That Steve doesn't get it?" I asked. Dernier shakes his head. "Something blue?" Dernier nods his head over and over again, cheering. "I was waiting for someone to get it."

"What?!" The others ask.

"Quelque chose de vieux, quelque chose de nouveau, quelque chose d'emprunté, quelque chose de bleu! Il propose!" He cried out and Jones then cheers as well. **(Translation: "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue! He is proposing!")**

"You are proposing!" Jones exclaims in surprise and I blushed to a beet red, nodding. Then the whole bar cried out in congrats.

"You sure about this? You've only been dating a week." Steve said.

"I'm more ready than anything. I want to wake up to her strawberry scented shampooed hair every day and have her in my arms every night. She's the only thing that keeps me sane in this crazy world. She isn't clingy, messy, rude or controlling. I want to be able to see her walk down the aisle, knowing that I'll be with her every second of my life and that she said 'yes'. If that's not love, then I don't know what is." I spoke honestly, seeing as all the men stayed still and quiet.

"But… You used to be quite the womanizer, Buck. Are you sure Faye will suddenly say yes after all of that?"

"I never slept with them. Never slept with any of those women. I wanted to try and get over my feelings for Faye because I didn't know she loved me. At the end of the night, I would excuse the women away, they would always say that it was noticeable, the feelings I had for Faye and we would be on our own paths. I never slept with them." I bowed my head down, taking another swig of my beer and Morita blurted out 'aww'. We all laughed and I looked down at the velvet box, kissing the top of it, hoping that she will say yes when I ask her.


	6. Chapter 6

Everything was working perfectly. Every three days, Steve, Bucky and their team would go out, destroying another HYDRA base and come back in one piece.

Just yesterday, they had blown up a weapons factory in Norway, sky high. Now, Bucky was taking me out to a night of the town to a

We had just arrived at the restaurant, Bucky's arm around my shoulder, pulling me closer in his arms as the snow brought chills to my skin.

"Where are we going?" I groan as we turn another street.

"Well I know you've always wanted to go to Tuscany but I got the second best place." Bucky replied, leading me into a restaurant called 'Pasta Meraviglia'.

"Pasta Wonders?" I asked sceptically.

"I promise you, you will love this place."

Bucky was right when he said I would love the place. Each table had a plaid red table cover on top with a vase and a single sunflower in each vase. There was also the green wood panels on the floor that was like grass and the sky blue walls and ceiling and also the different articles about Italy that hung the walls.

It looked like an outdoor restaurant yet we were indoors.

Bucky and I had both gotten the Fettuccine Alfredo which was really just at the top of the menu because neither of us knew Italian.

I knew something had to be up by now because every once in a while, I would find Bucky staring at me and then look down on his lap.

"Bucky?" I asked, placing my hand on his. "What's wrong? You look nervous."

He just smiled, taking my hands in his and bringing them to his lips. "I just love you." He replied, interlocking our hands.

"If you're sure…" I added. The waiter comes by with two plates of Fettuccine Alfredo, placing them in front of us before smiling at Bucky. I cocked my head in confusion, taking my first bite.

I was only halfway through my plate of food until I saw something at the bottom of the plate. A blue diamond.

A ring to be exact.

An engagement ring. I took it out, holding it in my palm, looking over at Bucky. He took the ring out of my hand, kneeling down on one knee in front of me.

"Bucky…" I smiled.

"Faye Adele Whitechapel. For 10 years I have loved you, worried you never felt the same way until a month ago. I don't care how long we wait. All I want is to wake up to your beautiful face every day. I don't care if you say no, but if you say yes, you will be making me the happiest man alive. I've never believed in resurrection but if there is a life after this, I will always love you." Bucky recited, bringing me to tears. "So, Faye Adele Whitechapel, will you make me the happiest man on Earth and marry me?" He asked, holding the ring up.

I thought about what it would be to wake up next to James Barnes every morning, wake up to his husky morning voice, get married and have children with him. They would probably have my love of reading and his looks, they would be brave and probably enlist in future wars, keeping it a legacy in the family.

I wanted that. I wanted it so bad. I'd been in love with him for 1 years and I was truly ready for the commitment.

"Yes. Yes, I'll marry you." I cried out, Bucky slipping the ring on my finger. My hands cupped his face, bringing his lips to mine. People in the restaurant cheered around us but I was too caught up in the fact.

_I'm getting married. I'm getting married to Bucky. And I couldn't be happier._

Bucky died three days later to a train accident while on a mission. Thy captured Dr Zola, the scientist making the weapons used by HYDRA. Phillips believed it would be a great idea for me to come down and interrogate Zola with him, to break into the man that killed my fiancé.

So, with a box of tissues, I was wiping away the tears, prepared to make the man guilty.

Phillips, after bringing me into a hug, led me into the interrogation room, a plate of food in his hand.

Zola was small, definitely, with round glasses, a beige shit and brown pants with old features, he could be mistaken in his mid-50s. I followed Phillips to the seat next to him, glaring at Zola the whole time. The door shut loudly behind us.

"Sit down." Phillips ordered, placing the food down. The plate contained of a glass of milk, steak, potatoes and vegetables. He turned it towards Zola.

"What is this?" was the first thing Zola said. So he's a vegetarian.

"Steak." Phillips replied.

"What is in it?"

"Cow. Doctor, do you realise how difficult it is to get ahold of a prime cut like that out here?"

"I don't eat meat." Zola replied, leaning back in the chair.

"Why not?" Phillips asked, a bit surprised.

"It disagrees with me." Zola said. Phillips looked at him for a moment, detecting any lying but Zola was right.

"How about cyanide? Does that give you the rumbly tumbly, too?" Phillips asked and Zola looked as if he knew of the HYDRA members committing suicide with cyanide capsules. He turned the tray around handing me the fork as I take a bite out of a potato as Phillips continues talking. "Every HYDRA agent that we've tried to take alive has crunched a little pill before we can stop him. But not you. So here is my brilliant theory." Phillips cuts a piece of steak and takes a bite. "You want to live."

"You're trying to intimidate me, Colonel."

"I brought you dinner." Phillips added, taking another piece of steak. I slide the letter over to Zola as he takes it in his hands.

"'Given the valuable information he has provided and in exchange for his full cooperation, Dr Zola is being remanded to Switzerland'?" He read aloud.

"I sent that message to Washington this morning, of course it was encoded. You guys haven't broken those codes, have you? That would be awkward." Phillips pointed out as I took a piece of broccoli from the tray and plopped it in my mouth.

"Schmidt would know this is a lie." Zola said, pointing at the letter.

"He's going to kill you anyway, Doc. You're a liability." I noticed he grimaced, as if prepared for this. "You know more about Schmidt than anyone. And the last guy you cost us was Captain Rogers' good friend and this not-so-kind woman's fiancé." He gestured towards me. I crossed my arms over my chest as Zola noticed me. "I would know. This woman has an attitude like a lion and makes a hard punch. If I were you, I wouldn't count on the very best protection. It's you or Schmidt. It's just the hand you've been dealt."

I could tell, as I glared at Zola, that he was really regretting working for Schmidt. "Schmidt believes he walks in the footsteps of the Gods. Only the world itself will satisfy him."

"You do realise that's nuts, don't you?" Phillips pointed out.

"The sanity of the plan is of no consequence." Zola added.

"And why is that?"

"Because he can do it!"

"He's going to leave you to rot." I spoke up for the first time, my voice laced with anger. Phillips nodded for me to continue. "He's probably forgotten about you already. And when he doesn't win the war, he fails miserably, and my fiancé gets his rightful vengeance, I will show up to your home in the middle of the night, take a knife to your throat and whisper three things to you. 'You. Were. Wrong.'". I slammed the table, making him jump in his seat.

"Now, now, Faye. I love that you threaten people but we need information out of this man before he produces a heart attack." Phillips turned back towards Zola. "What's his target?"

"His target… is everywhere."

_Well shit._

**Peggy's POV**

I walked into the destroyed, dingy Stork club, hearing an announcement go over the speakers of the London streets.

"_Blackout is still in effect throughout the London area. Please wait for the all-clear. Your attention, please. All citizens shall remain indoors until further notice._"

That's when I heard a bottle and movement in the next room. I walked in to see Steve sitting alone with a bottle and a glass on the table. He was sitting at the same table that Bucky and Faye were at when he first recruited Bucky into his team.

Steve looked over at me for a moment before turning back to the glass. "Dr Erskine said that the serum wouldn't just affect my muscles, it would affect my cells. Create a protective system of regeneration and healing. Which means… I can't get drunk. Did you know that?" He glanced at me. I grabbed a chair, sitting across from him.

"Your metabolism burns four times faster than the average person. He thought it could be one of the side effects." It was quiet for a moment before I spoke again. "It wasn't your fault."

"Did you read the report?" Steve asked. I nodded. "Then you know that's not true."

"You did everything you could." I spoke, taking Steve's hand in mine. "Did you believe in your friend? Did you respect him?" He stayed quiet. "Then stopped blaming yourself. Allow Barnes the dignity of his choice. He damn well must've thought you were worth it."

"What about Faye? She's going to mourn for however long, try dating other men and when she has a bunch of kids, none that are Bucky's, she's going to give me that longing look that says 'I miss him'. Then I will be reminded of Faye never getting to marry Bucky or be happy with him for longer than a month. She's going to grow up with her kids, probably telling them stories about Bucky that she's pretending were her and their father's stories and she's probably going to grow severely depressed." He explained, taking his hands out of my grasp and rubbing his temple, leaning back in the chair and taking another glass of wine. He pondered for a moment, as if thinking deeply, then said it. "I'm going after Schmidt. I'm not gonna stop until all of HYDRA is dead or captured."

I frowned but replied anyway. "You won't be alone. Even Faye will be there. She would never blame you."

**Faye's POV**

"Johann Schmidt belongs in a bughouse. He thinks he's a God and he's willing to blow up half of the world to prove it, starting with the USA." Phillips spoke, gesturing towards the world map. We were all in the meeting, everyone left of the SSR. I was sitting next to Dernier and Howard at an oval meeting table in front of the map.

"Schmidt's working with powers beyond our capabilities." Howard spoke up, reading from a notepad that had notes of the scientific weaponry he's planning on using. "He gets across the Atlantic, we will wipe out the entire Eastern Seaboard in an hour."

It's quiet as Peggy glanced at Steve but he placed the papers down. "How much time we got?" Jones asked, looking over at Phillips.

"According to my new best friend, under 24 hours." Phillips spoke, looking through the notes that Zola had written for us.

"Where is he now?" Mortia asked.

"HYDRA's last base is here." Phillips pointed to a picture in his hands with a very wintery environment. "In the Alps, 500 feet below the surface."

"So what are we supposed to do? I mean, it's not like we can just knock on the front door." Mortia spoke up again.

"Why not?" Steve asked, suddenly speaking up. "That's exactly what we're going to do.

We're waiting for the all-clear from Steve's team until we hear Jones call us in.

"Move out!" Phillips ordered. I grabbed my preferred rifle, an M181, and we all took charge, running into the base. "Keep your spacing!" He called, tossing Peggy a Remington. There were definitely a lot of men but we took charge anyway, attacking our way through the crowd. I had gotten ahold of one of the special-made guns from a dead body and they were all retreating but still shooting us.

We finally made our way through the doors, cried being heard from inside the base.

"Cut off one head, two more shall-" Phillips shot the man as he was turning a corner with a shotgun.

"Let's go find two more!" Phillips called, leading us away.

We heard a man with a weapon producing flames and shot at his tank until the man exploded. We saw Steve come from the direction of the man. "You're late." Steve told Peggy, smiling knowingly.

"Weren't you about to-" Peggy was cut off.

"Right." Steve nodded and rushed off to where his shield was holding open a door. He took the shield out and the door closed behind him.

We walked through another door, shooting at the men that attempted to climb into the large plane. We saw as the plane started up, everyone fighting outside the plane. Then I saw it. A black Volkswagen Beetle. I jumped into the driver's seat, calling over Peggy and Phillips as they both jumped in the back. The car seemed to have been altered to go faster so I just stepped on it, running over numerous guards, watching as Steve grabbed onto a chain and swung over to the other side of the mini battlefield.

We stopped next to Steve who was halting as he realised he wouldn't be able to make it.

"Get in!" I yelled and Steve looked over, jumping into the passenger's seat next to me. We were definitely losing the race until Steve hit a random button that had jumpstart boosters connected to the back. It took of faster than any car ever and we practically flew down the runway.

Steve prepared to jump out. "Keep it steady!" He commanded and I nodded.

"Wait!" Peggy called out, pulling Steve in for a kiss. They were cute together. "Go get him." Peggy nodded.

Steve looked over at Phillips and me with a shocked expression. "Hell no!" I yelled at the same time Phillips said, "I'm not kissing you!" Steve balanced himself on the hood of the car, me keeping the vehicle steady as he almost go pulverised by the propellers. The tail light broke but as the plane was just lifting off of the ground, Steve jumped. I slammed onto the breaks, the car turning around 180 degrees and almost fell if it weren't for Phillips jumping into the seat Steve had occupied, weighing the car down on the runway.

Steve was gone.

He was on the car and he may never come back.

I brought the car back to life, driving down inside to where all of our men had survived and killed the rest.

Now all we had to do was wait. I hate waiting. The last time I waited was for Bucky to come back from his mission with Steve and their team only to realise that he wasn't coming back.

It was after 25 minutes and Peggy, Phillips, Mortia and I were in the main control centre at the radio that connected to the plane when Steve's voice was heard. "Come in! This is Captain Rogers, do you read me?"

Mortia was going to speak up but Peggy pushed him out of the way, taking her own chair. I followed. "Steve, is that you? Are you alright?" Peggy asked, the concern evident in her voice.

"Peggy, Schmidt's dead!" Steve called.

"What about the plane?" I asked, placing an arm around Peggy's shoulders.

"That's a little bit tougher to explain." He spoke after a moment of silence.

"Give me your coordinates. I'll find you a safe landing site." She spoke, taking a notepad but was interrupted by Steve again.

"There's not gonna be a safe landing. But I can try and force it down." Tears were already brimming my eyes as I realised the inevitable reality.

"I'll get Howard on the line. He'll know what to do."

"There's not enough time." Steve said. "This thing's moving too fast and it's headed for New York."

"No. No, no, no, no." I cried but Phillips helped me up and led me away as I kept crying at the thought of losing the last two men in my life. I'd already lost my father when I was 14. He had suffered in a car accident. He was driving home in a taxi when there was a large truck that had completely crushed him head-first. I had lost my brother in a boat incident in 1911, the year of the Titanic. Bucky and Steve were all I had left and now they were being taken away as well.

I heard Steve and Peggy talk more but I was too heartbroken as I heard the radio go static.

And that was it.

The end of Steven Grant Rogers.

The end of Johann Schmidt. Most importantly, the end of my great love, James Buchannan Barnes.

**Eight months later**

**Sydney, Australia**

"The end, I guess." I finished, twiddling with the engagement ring on my finger, tears flowing down my face freely while Dr Catherine Barton listened intently, finishing off her notes.

"And how have you been since the last time we talked, Faye?" She asked the same question I've heard every two weeks.

Nothing had happened in the last six months. Phillips had gotten me relocated to Australia to have a whole new start. Even a new name so I was now under the alias 'Dana Richardson'. I had become severely depressed so every two weeks, I came to Catherine and I talked about what was going on with my life and she would listen, ask the same question and write down notes, sometimes prescribing me with some antibiotics.

This was the first time I told her the whole story. I was getting better over time and I knew Peggy loves it when I called her from my telephone, telling her more about the thing that have been going on.

"To be completely honest, I'm getting better. I just came back from another trip with Stark looking for the wreckage. Peggy was given a chance to work for the Pentagon. Phillips is getting by pretty well. The rest of the team have been doing fine and I've been… Well me. I've been taking up most of my spare time learning the piano and spending quality time with my new dog, Bruno. Oh and Howard has found a girlfriend." I smiled at the thought of first meeting Marie. She was kind, beautiful and had just enough honesty to weigh out Howard's sass.

Catherine nodded and smiled, taking out her wallet.

"My son actually got married." She showed the photo to me. There was a man with blonde hair and blue eyes, tall build with sharp features, and a woman with brown hair and brown eyes, probably my height with small freckles that dotted under her eyes. They looked happy as the picture was the two walking down a church aisle together with very little audience in the crowd.

"They look happy." I smiled, handing the picture back to Catherine.

"Have you been thinking about finding another man? Trying to move on from Bucky?" She asked.

"I could try all I want. Kiss as much men, go on as much dates but they'll never be Bucky. Bucky was kind, compassionate, sweet, caring and perfect. I remember, even before we used to date, I was 13 and I was nervous for my first day of high school as Bucky and Steve were a year older. Bucky had taken my hand, reassured me that everything would be okay then he had tucked a few strand of hair behind my ear and looked down at me with such hopeful eyes. It made me realise that it wasn't a silly schoolgirl crush. It was love." I smiled, wiping a tear away and Catherine offered me a tissue. I silently thanked her as Catherine wrote more notes down.

"So you're okay." She nodded, her voice in a bit of a questioning manner, placing the notepad down.

"Yeah… I am."

"Well then congratulations, Faye. Or shall I say 'Dana'." She used my alias name. "You are now suspended of the meetings whenever. I won't stop you." She stood up, followed by me and we hugged once more before I left.

I am Faye Whitechapel. This is my story.

But what I didn't know was that this was just the beginning.


End file.
